


oh, the movie never ends

by sweetiejelly



Category: As the World Turns, WALL-E (2008)
Genre: Future Fic, Gen, M/M, Schmoop
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-10-14
Updated: 2012-10-14
Packaged: 2017-11-16 08:08:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,375
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/537325
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sweetiejelly/pseuds/sweetiejelly
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Written belatedly for Ella's birthday. This is partly inspired by the "don't stop" prompt on my <a href="http://cottoncandy-bingo.dreamwidth.org/">cottoncandy_bingo</a> card and partly inspired by one's of Ella's prompts for me a long time ago.</p><p>Luke and Noah reunite in NY when the Marriage Equality Act is passed. Years and years later, Wall-E finds a tape.</p>
            </blockquote>





	oh, the movie never ends

**Author's Note:**

  * For [carolinablu85](https://archiveofourown.org/users/carolinablu85/gifts).



> Title is from Journey's _Don't Stop Believing_. Cross-posted to [LJ](http://sweetiejelly.livejournal.com/179505.html).

2805, summer

The sun rises, a distant warmth. Wall-E stretches his joints and rolls down the ramp to start his day's work. There is still so much debris, so much left behind to squish and square. He whirs, humming to himself. (Wall-E always works better with a song; and to be truthful, a song is always there in his heart.)

His pet Hal, the cockroach, is feeling the sun today. It jump-hops around, a little glint of color here and there: shine, shine, shine. It makes Wall-E smile. It's good to have a friend, someone to run around with in this static landscape.

Wall-E scoops up another pile of every-whatever-shape-and-weight, and with a satisfying push, minimizes the mound into a cube and stashes it on top the growing wall of cubes. He thinks maybe if others were out there (and there is a lot of world out there), they might see his wall from space. It's a nice thought anyway. He shades his eyes and chirps at potential friends. _Hello! Hi! Name's Wall-E._

Hal scurries past him, then abruptly halts, looking back to see if Wall-E would follow. Wall-E cocks his head to the side and blinks. The last time Hal did this, Wall-E found the exact part he needed to get his neck motor function back. Oh, this is exciting! Not that anything is broken at the moment, but one can never be too prepared. Wall-E follows in an excited puff of dust as he zooms, zooms, zooms after Hal.

\---

2011, early June

The pile of paperwork looks like it might pitch forward and scatter at any moment. Luke glares at it, daring it to. As if sentient, the pile holds on stubbornly, skating by with the barest of friction.

"Yeah, 'cause I'm _not_ picking you up.” Luke balances the latest printout on top, with a hand out to catch the fall, just in case. The papers don't budge, not even with a stir of cold air from the a/c.

Luke smiles to himself. This is as good a sign as any. He needs every wisp of good energy in the world today, in the world this _month_. This is important. What he's doing through the foundation is. If wishes were fishes, he's swimming in an ocean.

He feels like an Olympian. They're so close he could see the finish line from here. He could hear the cheers, feel the hugs, almost, _almost_ taste the kisses...

Sharply, he pulls away from this line of thoughts. Not yet. Not yet.

\---

2011, June 24

When the news breaks, Noah doesn't hesitate. He knows what he has to do. This is only history. He grabs his equipment and packs for a trip to New York.

At the last minute, he grabs the picture frame from his bedside table. It's only the simplest of frames, in dusty silver. But the eyes in the middle grin hazel at him, so warm, almost tangibly so. Noah breathes in deep and breathes out slow. Someday, he tells himself. Someday soon.

\---

2805, same summer day

Wall-E stares at Hal's find, gasps and clasps both hands over his mouth. He's almost shaking as he lets out a trill.

Hal prances around in circles, obviously pleased with himself.

Gingerly, Wall-E scoops up the VHS. He has only ever seen _Hello Dolly!_ before. Movie time! It's so movie time! Wall-E holds the tape aloft as he propels back to base, Hal perched high on his shoulder. Oh, it's a good day!

\---

2011, June 25

Noah catches sight of Luke across the room and does a double take. Yes, it’s really Luke. He almost drops his flute of champagne from the shock. _Luke. Here._ With him. (And a few hundred other guests.)

A little while ago, there were speeches about how monumental the occasion is. Speeches that almost made him cry. Now, Noah wonders if maybe Luke wrote some of those. Luke's speeches have that effect on him.

Noah's half way across the room when Luke catches sight of him. Luke waves, stuffs his hands in his pockets then un-stuffs them again, like maybe he's nervous. The gesture makes Noah smile, and a wave of fondness warms him from the inside out.

"Noah, hi," Luke reaches for him first, arms going all the way around his back and chin tucking down firm on his shoulder, his whole body pressing in tight and right.

"Hi Luke," he breathes into Luke's hair, which is shorn short again. The fringes, dark blond today, tickle at his cheek. The locks are as soft as he remembers and smell just as good. Nostalgia snaps to like a light bulb. (Once upon a time Noah had teased Luke about all the products he put in his hair. But then Noah got introduced to Luke's shower. And then there was even more teasing, but also more heavy breathing.)

"So, you're working?" Luke asks as he pulls back. He pets at Noah's video camera, his touch a caress. For one illogical moment, Noah is almost jealous.

"Oh, I wouldn't say that. I'm just, y'know,” Noah shrugs it off, “shooting a documentary about the Marriage Equality Act. Thought it makes sense to film one of first engagement parties."

"Yeah? That’s amazing, baby.” Luke blinks and pinks a little at his slip of endearment, but he clears his throat and carries on. “So, did you know Joel or-or Brian?"

Noah swallows down something, maybe, _probably_ giddy nerves. "Neither actually," he confesses.

"Are you crashing this party, Mayer?"

"Working, remember?" Noah half mumbles it. Truth is that he is sort of crashing the event a bit. Sure, Brian invited everyone on the L train – kinda shouted it – but as far as Noah knows, no one else took Brian up on his word. "So, what about you? How do you know the grooms-to-be?”

“The foundation,” Luke starts and tells Noah all about how it was involved in the letter-writing and the phone-calling, a lot of the campaigning efforts behind the act. “I met Joel at a rally,” he explains. And Noah finds himself nodding, hypnotized by Luke and the way he speaks, all passion and conviction, and gestures three loops wide.

He finds out that Luke did in fact write one of those speeches. It makes him proud to his guts.

“What? What’s wrong? Do I have something on my face?”

“No,” Noah could only shake his head. “Nothing.”

\---

2805, same summer day (still)

Wall-E examines the tape. It’s in good condition – old but cared for. On one side is a peeling label. What it says has long since rubbed off. Like maybe it was loved a little too much. Gently, Wall-E inserts it into the player and settles back to watch.

There is no music. That’s the first thing Wall-E notices. Second, there seems to be different clothes on these people. Third, the camera work is a little shaky. Like the way Wall-E himself moves sometimes, like when he rolls over a bump on the ground or that time he almost crushed Hal.

Hal looks to him with a questioning tilt of head. Wall-E shushes him, completely riveted by the two figures on screen. One of them is on his knees, speaking quite earnestly. He’s holding onto the other one’s hand. Wall-E listens intently to the speech, and fitting his hands together, sighs and sighs.

\---

2011, July 24

Luke allows himself a half a sip of champagne. He is so nervous. He doesn’t even know why. It’s just a date, after all (albeit one with Noah, to Brian and Joel’s wedding).

They have been talking daily – him and Noah – ever since Brian and Joel’s engagement party. So far the conversations have been easy, centering on neutral things, everyday friendly things. Luke told Noah about the foundation’s latest projects, about Ethan’s new obsession with sloths; _I think we finally convinced him a pug would make a better pet_ , about Lily and Holden’s reunion, how they seem to be getting back together for real, for sticks this time. And Noah told Luke about his life in L.A., how his roommate doesn’t understand the concept of a hamper basket and about how his various film projects are keeping him busy enough to turn him into a walking zombie. Noah sent him a preliminary cut of his documentary. And Luke actually cried watching it, not that he told Noah that. “It made Nat cry” was what he said.

Okay, so maybe Luke does know why he’s so nervous. He’s gone and fallen in love with Noah all over again, even harder this time. He’s so, so screwed. 

\---

2011, July 24

Noah fidgets with his tie. They have decided on blue for him and white for Luke. They have decided on purpose not to match. Noah could no longer remember why. Luke said something late one night which made a lot of sense right _then_ , that late into the night. It was one of those things.

So, Noah felt pulled to pull on his blue tie with white stripes. It felt like threading a little bit of Luke’s life with his own. He would really, really like that. This past month has reminded him how much he has missed Luke, missed his friendship, his jokes, his laughs. Just Luke.

\---

They are seated somewhere in the middle, behind the families. When the grooms say their vows, Luke reaches over for Noah’s hand. He doesn’t cry at weddings. It’s not him. That’s always been his mom’s job or Grandma Emma’s. And he doesn’t cry. He doesn’t, because he’s squeezing Noah’s hand with all his might instead.

\---

The best lady’s toast makes Noah swallow a lump down his throat. By now he feels like Joel and Brian’s best friend with how much history he’s heard throughout the night and at the engagement party. By now he knows that the two met in kindergarten. Joel’s family moved away in fifth grade. But life threw them together again in college. Their first kiss was an impulsive New Year’s Eve kiss at Time Square. Brian proposed in an ice rink. They made it through a rough patch with Joel caring for his mother through her fight with cancer. They made it through Brian losing his job.

By now Noah feels like no one who might know of these two men – and he will do everything in his power to make sure that at least more beyond the immediate party would know – would ever want to keep them apart.

He looks over at Luke and sees the same determination on his face. The image sticks to his heart and he thinks perhaps he has never loved Luke as much as he does in this moment.

\--- 

They are dancing to some upbeat pop song. Noah moves closer to Luke than is strictly necessary. But then Luke turns and gives him a searing look, a teasing smile. And Noah steps closer.

\---

2014, July 24

Emma holds onto the camera with shaky hands. This family picnic just turned into a Disney moment with one bend of a knee.

“Noah Mayer,” her grandson Luke is holding Noah’s hand and staring up at him. “You are already part of this family. But I wanted to make it official, legal, if you would have me.”

On camera, Noah visibly swallows as all around various Snyders, Emma included, let out their _oh_ s and _aw_ s.

“I lost you once,” Luke is saying. “But it gave me a chance to fall in love with you a second time. And I am, Noah, still _so_ in love with you. What I told you the first time all those years ago under the mistletoe - it’s still true now. I walk into a room and I look at you and I feel like I belong. That someone gets me and really, really likes me for me. You never stopped believing in me, Noah, and in us. And look at us now.”

Someone happy-sniffs from out of frame. And Emma has to make an effort to steady her hands.

“This is not an ice rink in Central Park and there are no romantic snowflakes raining down. But I wanted to ask you here, Noah, because we started here at the Snyder farm. We fell in love here. I still remember our first swim here. Our first fight. I remember our first Christmas together. I love you, Noah, and I want to spend the rest of my Christmases with you. Will you marry me?”

Noah doesn’t speak, doesn’t look like he’s capable of it. He nods and hauls Luke up into his arms and kisses him. And kisses him. And kisses him.

\---

2014, July 24, later that night

Luke lies in the circle of Noah’s arms, skin still tingling.

“I can’t believe you beat me to it,” Noah is saying, pushing a strand of hair out of Luke’s eyes. “I’d asked Holden and Lily for your hand but I was still looking at rings.”

“Really?” Luke nudges him. “Slowpoke.”

“Hey! I wanted it to be perfect.”

Luke smiles into Noah’s chest as he cuddles close. “I love you.”

“I love you, too.” Noah holds him tight.

They’re quiet for a few moments. And then Noah wonders out loud if they could get Emma’s recording converted to VHS.

“Why?” _You film geek_ follows unspoken.

“Because,” Noah blushes deep. “Growing up, I always wanted home videos. I would lie awake at night wondering if-if I had a mom if maybe we would have had tapes of birthdays and graduations, maybe even camping trips.”

Luke closes his eyes a moment. Leave it to Noah to take him from wanting to laugh to simply melting in the span of a minute. “We will make so many tapes, baby,” he promises.

“Oh, _really_?” Noah slurs all the suggestions he could into the question.

Luke laughs and laughs. He’s pretty sure he wants to keep Noah forever and ever. The tapes too. He’s even going to label them. He’s going to call the first one “Noah becomes a Snyder.”

\---

2805, later that summer

Wall-E cannot stop watching his two tapes. Love is the theme. Love and handholding and kisses. He alternates watching one and then the other. And everyday, he looks hopefully to the sky.


End file.
